Five for Friday [July 10th]

Happy Friday everyone! It has been an awesome week! I feel like I have been incredibly productive, which is good because I start my next online class on Monday. (insert sad face here) It has been a wonderful thing to have the last 2-3 weeks off.  I've made the most of these weeks!

I am linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching to share 5 things I've done over the week or so.

 

Like I shared with my Monday Made It, budget has been a huge focus for me lately.  I am trying really hard to control my spending and to make wiser choices.  Just knowing this has really limited my spending a great deal and I know we are going to benefit because of it!

 

My new school is a 7 Mindsets school and after finally finishing the book, I could not be more excited to begin using these as a classroom teacher.  They are such a wonderful set of ideas to live by and I can't wait to see how they impact my teaching and our life outside of work as well.

Shaun T and I have a love-hate relationship.  I did T25 a year ago and had awesome results.  I started Insanity Max: 30 during the holidays and our big move and it was just a total flop.  I am 4 days in now and I am enjoying it so much more.  I love that each workout has a modifier track where I can see the modifier the entire time.  I also love how much Shaun T supports doing the modified version.  Trust me, even modified, this workout will kick your booty... and it is over in 30 minutes! You can't beat it!

This past Tuesday, the hubs and I went on a mini field trip with my mother-in-law and brother-in-law down to IKEA.  Looking back, I can't believe I didn't take a single picture to document the trip.  We don't go very often and it is absolutely my favorite place which is usually documented... but alas, no pictures.  Since my new budget system has been put into place, I went into the trip with a specific amount to spend in mind.  I am proud to say I didn't go over and was actually under my limit! This is one of the things I went looking for and have been for a while.  I saw this on Pinterest and knew it would be the most affordable system for mailboxes for me right now.  This entire set up was less than $25, the shoe organizers are very sturdy and spacious, and I can re-purpose it if it doesn't work effectively after a year!

 

My move to a new school has caused me to have to downsize a bit.  One of the things I had to leave at home was my bin shelf that I used to use as a place to store math manipulatives (which are now living in our house :\).  At first, I just put the shelf and all the bins in one of our guest closets because the primary colors go with nothing at all.  While I was at Home Depot yesterday, I got the great idea to spray paint them.  I can't wait to show you the transformation and to actually be able to leave this out instead of tucked into a closet!

That's all for this week.  Stay tuned for posts coming this weekend and early next week.  I have some almost finished products I can't wait to share with you!

Mastering the Balancing Act

As a teacher, I feel that finding balance is truly one of the most difficult part of our job.  If you are anything like me, teaching is not just your job, but is your passion.  As cliche as that sounds, for those of us who find that true- it is SO true! Teaching is something that is not just Monday through Friday, 8:00 till 3:00,  August through May. It is a 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year type of commitment.  It can be life-consuming, if you let it.

I am still, in my own mind, a new teacher.  I have two years under my belt; in those two years, I have learned more than I can imagine.  With that being said, I realize I still have an expansive amount of knowledge left to gain.  As a new teacher, balance is even harder to find for a number of reasons.

First and foremost, you haven't fully learned who you are as a teacher yet, making every decision that much more difficult. You are making decisions that will impact these kids forever... no pressure at all, huh?  You are also trying to maintain your old life while being on top of things with your new job.  Not only are you a teacher, but you are a daughter to son, sister or brother, significant other, and a friend.   Talk about overwhelming!

You are also feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders.  While Pinterest, blogs, and Instagram are absolutely fantastic, they create huge (and sometimes unrealistic) expectations for future teachers.  Who doesn't want the perfect room with everything organized to a T and color coordinated everything?! I know I still do, but as a new teacher, it is just impossible.

Add all of those factors together and you've got a recipe for what very well could be a disaster.  What is a new teacher (actually, any teacher) supposed to do to find balance? Here are the nuggets of wisdom I have either been given or discovered for myself.

Above all else, keep your family, friends, and faith first. 

As I began my first year of teaching, I let so many relationships slide.  I began to think that my job was number one and while it was important, letting my relationships with my family, friends, and God suffer did not make me a better teacher.  In fact, my teaching suffered because of it! Luckily, I gained some wonderful teacher friends who helped me discover this balance.  I will tell you this, it is not easy to balance this.  There will be sometimes when things will have to take a backseat to work, but those instances should not make up the majority.  Rely on these three foundational aspects of your life and I promise your students will benefit in the long run.

Take time to exercise!

I know that as you read that one, you laughed.  The last thing you want to do after a long day of teaching is workout.  Please trust me when I say that you will never regret it.  Even if it is a 15 minute walk with you dog or children, it will relieve so much stress.  I have grown to love quick programs from Beachbody like T25, Insanity Max: 30, and 21 Day Fix.  If you can swing it, work out in the morning before you go to school.  You will have so much more energy and will not have to worry with it after school.  If that isn't an option, treat it like an appointment you have as soon as you get home.  Getting out some of the energy and stress will be so worth the time you invest.

Eat as clean as you can and on a consistent basis.

 Before you sigh and get frustrated, I am not saying you can't enjoy ice cream, pizza, fast food, or cupcakes.  I am saying, however, that you need to enjoy those things in moderation.  If your food is clean, your body will have the fuel it needs.  Following on the coattails of this, make sure you eat consistently! It will be so tempting, especially as you are getting your feet under you, to skip lunch to do work or get ahead. Don't do this, at all costs.  There is nothing worse than a hangry teacher!  Keep your foods simple, balanced, and clean.

Keep it simple, sweetie!

Don't try to overdo it this year.  You'll want to do all the cutesy things on Pinterest and to buy all sorts of things for your classroom.  Keep it simple. Pick a few cutesy things to do and then put your focus on the huge things that will make or break your year.  What are those things, you ask?

In my opinion, they are (in this order): classroom management, communication (between parents and students), and using effective, research-based strategies.  With hindsight being 20/20, I wish I would have spent more time focusing on those 3 things than all the other hullabaloo that I actually focused on.  The way you approach those things will be effected by your school, which brings me to your last point.

 

Lean on those around you and do NOT be afraid to ask for help. 

I look back on my first two years of teaching and one thing stands true: asking for help from my teams and learning from them were pivotal to my survival.  Veteran teachers know what they are doing and are (usually) more than happy to help.  Don't be afraid to go outside of your team and ask for help.  There were so many wonderful teachers in my building who I did not get to know till my second year because I didn't step out of my 4th grade box! Ask for help from anyone and everyone and use their advice to make you a better teacher.

 

Hopefully this helps someone out as the stress of back to school is coming.  I would love to hear what tips you have from your experience on achieving that so heavily desired feeling of balance!

Monday Made It - July 6th

Before I get into my post, can I just say it is so hard for me to believe it is already July 6th. A month from today, our first day of school will be in the books. Where has my summer gone?! Goodness, me... must not focus on that! On to this week's Monday Made It with 4th Grade Frolics.

This week's made its are personal things, as I have *tried* to take a hiatus from creating things for my classroom for the last few weeks.

       

 One of my goals this summer was to really focus on looking at our budget and how to start saving more money.  Mr. B and I bought a house in December and I started my vision impairment endorsement a month later, so finances have been strapped.  I made this handy dandy tool to help me keep up with my spending. I have even included a generic version as a freebie below.

Personal Budget Template - Color

Personal Budget Template - Ink Friendly

My next made it was for our 4th of July shindig we had this past weekend.  The beauty of it is, I did not buy anything to make this cute centerpiece.  I had the glass beads, candles, ribbon, and mason jars at home.  They were perfect and were a great addition to our party!

That's all for this week's Monday Made It. See you next week!

Monday Made It - June 22nd

Hello everyone!

I am joining 4th Grade Frolics for Monday Made It.  I was lucky enough to get a few days off from my online classes (more about that coming later!) and I took full advantage of it.  I absolutely love being crafty! It's so therapeutic and let's me focus all my energy on something. If only I was able to focus on my class work that well!

The projects I worked on this week are for my classroom.  I'm in the process of trying to incorporate a lot of the stuff from the past two years I've used to make one theme that works together.  Thanks to Schoolgirl Style, I found a fantastic theme and I am loving watching it come together. I'll share more later, but for now... on to the crafts!

My first made it ties in to my school's character education curriculum.  We are a 7 Mindsets Lighthouse School and after reading the book, I cannot wait to incorporate the mindsets into my classroom management.  

Since these ideas are so huge for our school, I decided to really put some time into how I wanted them displayed in my classroom.  Michael's had their canvases on sale this week so I picked up some black ones (who knew they made those?!) and some paint that helped me tie everything together.  I absolutely love how they turned out and how they bring this area of my room together. 

 

The next made it is something I've wanted to do for a while.  I didn't do it my first year because let's face it, I was trying to survive.  Last year, I taught Science and Social Studies exclusively so it didn't fit as well with my classroom as I wanted.  This year, however, I am teaching all subjects so I decided to create these for my classroom.  I love the pop of color they bring to this corner! 

Go check out all the other fantastic ideas at 4th Grade Frolics! 

Ikea and Container Store Finds for Teachers

One of the most beautiful aspects of living near Atlanta is that we have awesome stores like Ikea and The Container Store so close.  I was so privileged to be able to make my first trip to The Container Store last year and I was in heaven.  If I ever win the lottery, a chunk of change will be spent on organizational stuff.  I am truly obsessed!  My first Ikea trip was about 2 weeks ago and it was heaven.  I loved every second of my trip and found some fantastic (and affordable!) treasures for my classroom next year.  Here are the goodies I found!

Lampan Table Lamp - $4.99

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20055421/

I am a huge believer in adapted lighting for all students.  My friend Ashley at Toughen Up, Buttercup sold me on the idea.  A classroom is so much more pleasant to be in when the lighting isn't so harsh.  I bought four of the babies to increase my lamp population.  They aren't insanely bright, but they will definitely contribute to the cause.

Toftbo Bathroom Mat - $9.99 (in turquoise and green)

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20163963/  (turquoise)

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10209339/ (green)

 I am excited to include these beautiful rugs in my classroom next year.  I am trying to create a homey feel and these will help so much.  They are so soft and I plan to place them around my board for extra seating.  The colors are really vibrant and they are washable which is always a plus.  

Fylt Magazine File - $1.49/5 files

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50022354/

The possibilities with these are endless! I plan to use them for my library for sure.  I also saw an awesome idea on Pinterest for them today for paper storage!  They are cardboard and would make great book boxes if the need was there.  I am excited about the simple color.  

Now onto my Container Store find (yes, just one this time!).  I will be teaching 3 grade levels next year and have been desperately looking for baskets to use to collect their homework and classwork.  As soon as I walked in, it was like the heavens opened up and angels sang.  I had found exactly what I was looking for.

Our Basic Stack Basket - $5.99 (I bought white, blue, and green)

http://www.containerstore.com/shop/storage/stackingStorage?productId=10006896&N=71232

I plan to label these for each grade level.  I wish they had purple, but white will suffice. I am excited about the size of these specifically.  They will hold more than just one stack of papers if need be.  I love how sturdy they are once stacked, also!

I hope you all found this helpful and beneficial.  Ikea and The Container Store can be a money pit if you're not careful.  However, with some restraint and planning, you will be one step closer to an awesome learning environment for your kiddos!

Monday Meet Up #4

Hello everyone!

We are officially about a month into our summer break and I am loving it!  I loved summer break as a student, but I have found a completely new appreciation for it as a teacher.  It is so nice to be able to work on all these projects I have been saving.  I have also been able to work a lot on things for next year (more to come on that later!)

I decided to link up this week with The Teaching Tribune.  I am loving the networking that I have already done through Twitter, blogs, and TpT.  I haven't started a store yet, but they may be in the works. I haven't decided if I am ready to jump off that cliff quite yet, especially with all the change that is on the horizon.

Anywho, this is my first link up of the summer (aside from the currently I did).  This week's link up is all about ME! Well, random facts you may not know.  Enjoy!

 

50 Shades of...

Now, I know what you're thinking.  What is a teacher doing blogging about that book.  You'll be glad to know I'm not! ;)  Completely different, actually!

As a first year teacher, everything is just a little more exciting.  Everything has been a "first." Between my first fire drill, Science Day, Artist Day, and field day, everything has been insanely memorable.  My first post planning experience surely did not disappoint.  Our school brought in the wonderful Jen Jones from Hello Literacy came and redelivered her 50 Shades of the Common Core: Critical Thinking and Text Complexity.  This PD surely spoiled me! I tell David all the time how much of a "teacher nerd" I am.  I just love to learn! Jen was incredible and it was such an honor to get to learn from her.

Here are the big take aways I got from her redelivery!

1. Bloom's Taxonomy Posters - Jen Jones showed us one of her awesome TpT products that I plan to use within my classroom next year.  Here is the link to the posters.  She uses a cell phone signal to demonstrate the brain power students use to get to that level of thinking.  One thing I loved about this was the stress she put on teachers holding students accountable for this.  In college, they taught us Bloom's, but not how to translate it into accountability for the kids.  I am so excited to explore this further this year.

2. ...because... - As Jen shared this, I wanted to scream, "How have I never thought of this?!" It is absolutely genius! I can't wait to implement this great and (SUPER EASY!) strategy next year.  To find out more, check out this blog post of Jen's.

3. Expect students to speak in complete sentences. - Again, so simple but so genius.  I love this expectation being set day 1 and I think it will solve a lot of problems, so to speak.  I love the sense of accountability this creates.  I think it is also going to really help our ESL and SPED population also.

4.  TBE Graphs - My last take away was her TBE graphs.  As a grad student, I did my capstone project on self graphing.  Super effective and super important in building intrinsic motivation for students.  Part of my summer is going to be devoted to developing a self-graphing tool to help students see their growth in mastering standards.  However, I do plan to use Jen's TBE graph as part of my student's data folders.  Again, with the accountability! I feel like text based evidence is imperative when it comes to deeper thinking. Having a graph increases desire to use text as evidence.  Check out Jen's post about her TBE graph's here!

As you can tell, I am so pumped up for next year. I can't wait to have all kinds of deep thinking going about Science and Social Studies!